T Deyal: Figuring Out The Cricket (11 Jan 1997)

11 January 1997

Figuring Out The Cricket

Tony Deyal

West Indians everywhere are the most picturesque and poetic of speakers. Our language is forever full of figurative expressions and flights of fancy. In Trinidad, someone suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune says simply,"I fighting up wit` dem." In Jamaica, bargain hunters are lured by "lick down" sales. Now, however, the numbers games, introduced initially by politicians to show how much better off we are with VAT and other revenue raising devices which literally tax the imagination and everything else in sight, have insidiously insinuated themselves in our language and way of life. From figures of speech we have moved to speeches of figures.

One crafty island politician, invited at very short notice to address a gathering of extremely influential corporate leaders, and wanting to impress them with his masterful grasp of the business environment of the future, asked his Central Statistical Office (CSO) to get him the relevant figures. The Head of the CSO explained to him that it would take a month to put together the answers he wanted, time he did not have. When he gave the speech, which received a a standing ovation, the CSO Head was dumbfounded to find that it was liberally sprinkled with relevant statistics. Fearing that her job was under threat from some other person or organisation, she asked,"How were you able to get those figures, sir?" . "Easy," the Prime Minister explained. "I made them up. I figured if it would take you a month to get the right figures, those businessmen would never be able to understand what I was saying, let alone prove me wrong."

That is perhaps the most interesting thing about figures. As Mark Twain said, they are like ladies of the night. Once you get them down you can do anything with them. Given my extremely sheltered upbringing I cannot personally vouch for the veracity of Mr. Twain`s observation, my acquaintance being limited only to the nocturnal flowers which go by that name. However, I am assured by my friends in the media and in politics that this is indeed the case.

In sports, for instance, the statistics craze, initially confined to America and its pastimesbaseball, basketball and football - is infiltrating the hallowed halls of cricket. Statistics, however, can be misleading, particularly to those who use them, like our cricket writers and selectors, the way drunks use lamp-posts, for support rather than for illumination. They will use Phil Simmons` test batting averages to justify why he should not be on the test team. They overlooked Arthurton`s, as they continue to ignore the fundamental lesson that lies in the present averages, the best indicators of team and individual performances.

The overall batting average of the West Indies team that played in the third test is 350.25. The team average for the series against Australia, boosted by 53 not out from Junior Murray in the third test, is 283.26. If we agree that we cannot use one performance as the basis for the average, and use the overall performance by the wicket keepers, adding Courtney Browne`s runs in the first two tests (average 16.33) and Murray`s (lifetime average of 26.38 (compared with Browne`s of 23.25) we get 25.5 and the average for the series of 255.76.

Ambrose and Bishop have bowling averages of approximately 21.5. If they get all the wickets a team will average 215 runs against the West Indies. When Walsh gets most of the wickets, because of his 25.31 average, the total will be closer to 253. When Benjamin gets wickets the total can go up to 294 (his average is 29.4) and, if the situation is such that the fast bowlers are not getting wickets and we depend on Adams or Hooper, we are in deep trouble. Adam`s average is 42.00 and Hooper`s is 55.55.

Overall the batting averages of individual players are declining, while the bowling averages are increasing.

It is clear from the statistics that the West Indies is, and has been for some time, performing below average. Inevitably, the only explanation is a lack of leadership, not only on the field but at the highest levels of decision-making. The "new dispensation" of the West Indies Cricket Board is proving to be just that- dispensing with communication and support for its captain and crew in Australia. Their request for an additional player has been rejected by a Board which spent enormous sums for a banquet. Even if the team continues to win, it is still in a no-win situation as far as the Board and its stranglehold on power is concerned. If the team loses the remaining games, the Board will say that the extra player would not have made a difference. If the team wins, the Board will say they did not need the extra player after all.

* Tony Deyal was last seen hoping that the Board will follow the example of the man whose relatives could not understand why he disappeared in a river with an average depth of three feet.

Source :: Express (Trinidad)